I'm thinking about buying the Manfrotto 410 Junior Geared Tripod Head to use with the 5D MK III.
And I notice the tripod head doesn't allow you to tilt the camera back 90 degrees, so you can point the camera straight up.
My current Manfrotto head is like this, so I have to mount the camera the "wrong" way 180 degrees on the plate/head.

My question is, if I did the same with the Manfrotto 410's supplied camera plate, would it interfere with the battery compartment ?

The camera mounting screw isn't central on the plate, usually the "long" end (which is curved) points away from the battery compartment, switching it around, would cause it to be pointing towards the battery compartment.

I screwed the 410 base plate onto the RRS L bracket. You need to slide the 410's screw all the way to the end of the slot in order to access the battery compartment. Otherwise you cannot open the compartment enough to remove the battery.
I have a Kirk spacer block, but there is no screw hole on it.

An alternative I have been thinking of is to buy the arca swiss converter kit on *bay. That should work.

dgdg wrote:
I screwed the 410 base plate onto the RRS L bracket. You need to slide the 410's screw all the way to the end of the slot in order to access the battery compartment. Otherwise you cannot open the compartment enough to remove the battery.
I have a Kirk spacer block, but there is no screw hole on it.

An alternative I have been thinking of is to buy the arca swiss converter kit on *bay. That should work.

thanks for the pics.
Now, if you want to put the camera on the plate with the battery compartment facing the lever arm, will the battery door open? I suspect not since the AS plate is on the other side. I think a spacer block would do the trick. I have considered this since I will do timed long exposures at night and cannot change camera position if battery dies.

Yours is likely a cheaper option. To have access to the battery compartment without dismounting it, this looks good (but more expensive).

Thank you very much for posting the photos Jim.
I think I need to buy something like the RRS clamp and L bracket, that way, there won't be any battery cover, erm ... cover up

Could I ask the dimensions of the Manfrotto 410PL plate, either in inches or metric.
And what size of RRS clamp would you recommend ?
I've been looking at 50mm or 60mm, and thought the 60mm would be better.

Looking at your 1st photo, if you positioned the camera into the clamp with the LCD screen towards the knurled screw.
Are you able to tilt the camera to point skywards by 90 degrees and also tilt the camera 90 degrees down to the left ?

And generally speaking do you have trouble creating/stitching panos ?
The centre axis of the tripod and position of the plate/clamp don't appear to be in line.

- MS - wrote:
Looking at your 1st photo, if you positioned the camera into the clamp with the LCD screen towards the knurled screw.
Are you able to tilt the camera to point skywards by 90 degrees and also tilt the camera 90 degrees down to the left ?

-MS- my inexperience will most always trip me up a bit, especially with ballheads as I've just recently purchased my first based on some reading here. I purchased a Markins Q-10 for my 5D MkIII and to be honest I didn't even know that it had a feature that would allow 90 degree up or down until I started playing around with it. That cutout in the ballhead allows this maneuver and the free rotation of the ballhead allows for rotational left or right to any degree unless I'm missing something. And often it's pointed out and corrected as I'm new to good tripods and ballheads. I didn't even know that they cost as much as they do. However based on recommendations, many mentioned that it would be a good buy and one that would be built to last.

jstntym wrote:
-MS- my inexperience will most always trip me up a bit, especially with ballheads as I've just recently purchased my first based on some reading here. I purchased a Markins Q-10 for my 5D MkIII and to be honest I didn't even know that it had a feature that would allow 90 degree up or down until I started playing around with it. That cutout in the ballhead allows this maneuver and the free rotation of the ballhead allows for rotational left or right to any degree unless I'm missing something. And often it's pointed out and corrected as I'm new to good tripods and ballheads. I didn't even know that they cost as much as they do. However based on recommendations, many mentioned that it would be a good buy and one that would be built to last....Show more →
OK.
Sorry, I'm a bit confused why you've mentioned the ballhead and not info about the Manfrotto geared head
If I've missed something, I apologise.

I've been looking at 50mm or 60mm, and thought the 60mm would be better.

I use a mix of 60mm and 50mm clamps, mostly 60mm. The 410 plate has a 60mm clamp on it. Even the 38mm mini clamps are pretty solid - check the attached photos of my macro slider rig.

Looking at your 1st photo, if you positioned the camera into the clamp with the LCD screen towards the knurled screw. Are you able to tilt the camera to point skywards by 90 degrees...

Yes.

...and also tilt the camera 90 degrees down to the left ?

No. You'd have to rotate the RRS clamp on the 410 plate.

And generally speaking do you have trouble creating/stitching panos ?

Most of the panos I do are simple three-image sets using left/centre/right images from slide movements on a TS lens. When I want to do something more adventurous, I use a Nodal Ninja head, or I just "fake it".

The centre axis of the tripod and position of the plate/clamp don't appear to be in line.